A System-Level Analysis of Schottky Diodes for Incoherent THz Imaging Arrays
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2004
Identifier/URL
40273460 (Pure); 3142705350 (QABO)
Abstract
GaAs Schottky diodes are analyzed as upper-mm-wave or THz direct-detectors in passive imaging arrays. Standard models are used for the current-voltage curve and small-signal responsivity with an assumed ideality factor of 1.2. The 1/f and burst noise properties are adopted from available empirical data, and a small-signal circuit model is used to compute the power delivered by the antenna to the diode. For a 4 sqμm diode area and typical modulation frequencies up to about 100 Hz, the noise-equivalent power (NEP) is found to be limited primarily by the 1/f and burst noise to values above ∼1×10 -10 W/Hz1/2. If the modulation frequency could be increased to ∼1 MHz or above, or if the 1/f and burst noise mechanism could be greatly reduced, the analysis predicts that the Schottky NEP would drop to ∼3×10-12 W/Hz1/2 at room temperature. At video sampling rates (30 s-1), the corresponding noise-equivalent delta temperature (NEΔT) would fall in the range 1-10 K depending on the RF bandwidth.
Repository Citation
Brown, E. R.
(2004). A System-Level Analysis of Schottky Diodes for Incoherent THz Imaging Arrays. Solid-State Electronics, 48 (10-11), 2051-2053.
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/physics/1136
DOI
10.1109/ISDRS.2003.1272144
